Paper-stock refining and distributing system.



L. N. MoINTYRE.

PAPER STOCK REFINING AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUGA, 1911.

Patehted May 21, 1912.

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l lllllll l MR mm mm L. N. MoINTYRE.

PAPER STOCK REFINING AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1911.

1,026,819. Patented May 21,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES... PATENT OFFICE.

- LOWELL N. muzn'rvnn, or CARTHAGE, new Yonx.

' PAPER-STOCK REFINING AND DISTRIIBUTING SYSTEM.

. x To all whom i! mayconcern:

Be it known that I, Lownm. N. MoIN- 'rrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jefferson and State of -New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Stock Refining and Distrihuting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in paper-stock refining and distributing systems. and has for its object to provide novel, simple and effective means for preventing the breaking of the paper during the operation of the paper machines, and also for producing a more perfect and even grade of paper, than under the older systems.

lleretofore, under the old systems of dis tributing and supplying the stock to the paper machines, after the pulp is ground, it is usually passed through the well-known Jordan engine, for the purpose of shortening or breaking up the fibers more finely. From the Jordan machine the stock is then carried to a stuff-chest. From the stuffchest the stock is pumped up to a regulating box, from which it is delivered to a mixing-box, where fresh water is added,

and from the mixing-box the stock passes to one or more pulp screens for refining, by separating the coarse slivers, chips and grit from the finer fibers, for rendering it suitable for making paper. After the stock is screened, it passes by gravity to a flow-box, and thence in a similar manner from said box directly onto the wet-end of the paper machine and is made into paper. In all pulp screens, after they have been operated for a time, owing to the fact that the screened stock, after passing through the screen-plates lies or stands practically motionless in the flow-spouts and flow-boxes, tends to settle in the corners and crevices of said parts, and also in the corresponding parts of the suction chambers, and to form more or less solid masses of the fiber and fine grit combined with Slime. After a time, these settlings become jarred loose and float upwardly through said spouts and boxes and are carried away with the body of the paper-stock. These lumps or chunks of pulp, commonly called slugs, rarely disintegrate thereafter, because no means are provided for breaking them up. The slugs, as they pass into the paper machine, become Specification 01' Letters Patent. Patented May 21, 1912 Application filed August 4, 1911.

Serial No. 642,804.

more, or lws broken up, but never to the same consistency as the rest of the stock, and when carried over the Fourdrinier wire, become a part of the web of paper. As the web passes from the wet-end of the machine to the press-rolls, and from these to the drying-rolls, the portions of the web which comprise the slugs become harder and more brittle, and therefore less flexible than the other portions of the web, with the result that the paper dries and shrinks unevenly. This latter condition causes the web of new paper to warp, and as it travels through the machine under more or less tension, the hardening of the slug-spots and the consequent warping of the web subject the paper to an unequal strain due to the normal tension, which results in frequent breaks occurring in the paper. Whenever the paper breaks, particularly in the case of the larger machines, it requires the shutting-down of the machine in order to thread the paper through the pressing and drying rolls. This breaking of the paper not only causes a loss of time and a-curtailment of the output of the machine, but the passing of the paper through the intricate and rapidly revolving rolls is a dangerous work, which often results in injury to the machine attendants.

I have found from long experience as a paper maker, that fully 70% of the breaks occurring in the paper during the operation of the machines, under the old systems of preparing and distributingthe paper stock, are directly traceable to the presence of slugs or lumps of pulp, slime and grit, which become mlxed with the stock and are delivered to the machines without being broken up.

In order to overcome these difficulties, and to obviate the breaking of the paper by the slugs as aforesaid, it is an object of the present invention to provide novel and effective means for preventing the slugs from reaching the paper machines, and in carrying out the said object, I provide for breaking up the slugs or lumps of the pulp to the same consistency as the rest of the stock, before they are'delivered to the machines.

A further object is to provide means for filtering the stock immediately after it leaves the pulp screens, and also for regu lating and mixing the stock after it is filside view of part of the wet-end tered and before it is delivered to the machines.

A further object is to provide a novel and simple distributing-gate mclosed in a distributing-box, for controlling the supply of pulp to be delivered to the paper ma-- mes. The features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed descri tion which follows, and by reference to t e accompanyin drawings, whlch form a art of this speci cation, and n Wl110h-- i ure 1 is a diagrammatic v1ew of my compfi system, the parts being shown partly in elevation and partly in section. Flg. 2 1s a a paper machine, and a verticalsection of the flowbox and distributing-box. Fig. 3 1s a crosssectional view of the Decker machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the machine regulatingbox. Fig. 5 is an enlarged face view of the distributinggate in closed position.

In the drawings, 2 represents what is known to the paper-making trade, as a regulating-box, which may be made in any sultable manner, but preferably having a receiving compartment 3, into which the ground pulp designed for paper-stockis delivered from any suitable source of supply through a pipe 3, and a central stock chamber 4. The chamber 4 is located between oppositely arranged partitions or dams 5 and 5', both of which extend upwardly from the bottom to a point near the top of the box. When the stock rises in the compartment 3, it flows over the dam 5 into the chamber 4, to be distributed through the system. The surplus stock, if any, flows over the dam 5', and is returned to the source of supply by means of'a pipe 6. a

7 represents a gate disposed in the box 2 directly above the dam 5, for gag1ng or regulating the volume of the pulp flowing over said dam, and 7 represents a hand lever for operating the said gate, the said lever being pi oted in a suitable manner to the top of the box 2.Tli pulp when delivered to the box 2 is preferably in a semipasty condition. I

From the chamber 4 of the regulating box .2, the pulp or stock gravitates through a pipe 2 into a machine 8, where the fiber is ground or broken up andmade shorter, which is a customary step in the preparation of the pulp for paper-stock. The device 8, is preferably the well-known Jordan engine, the use and operation of which will be understood without special 'or detailed description. The stock must be'rthick when it is delivered to the Jordan engine, in order to facilitate the proper breaking up of the fiber. From the Jordan engine, the stock, still in a pasty condition, gravitates through ete stock refining and distributingv into a chamber 14.

stock is then screened 1n the usual way, by

being sucked through finely slotted screenplates, and passes from the screens by way of flowspouts 13 into a flow-box 13. The

purpose of screening the stock, is to separate the coarse slivers chips and grit from the finer fiber, which comprises the paper stock. I

The screened stock contains a large percentage of water the greater portion of which is preferably extracted from the pulp by passing it through a filtering machine immediately after it leaves the screens. The filtering process reduces the stock to a thick condition and renders it capable of being regulated and thoroughly and evenly mixed, for subsequent delivery to the machine for making paper of different grades and weight.

From'the flowbox 13' of the screens, the stock gravitates to a filtering'or slushing machine 14, which is preferably the wellknown Decker machine, which is provided with a semi-circular trough 15, which receives the pulp from the screens, and in this trough is disposed a rotatable cylinder 16, which is driven by any suitable power. The

filtering device 16 comprises a finely meshed wire cylinder, which is immersed and r0- tates in the body of the pulp which fills the trough 15. The cylinder 16 rotates in the trough, and the surplus water in the pulp filters through the meshes of the wire, mainly by gravity, and leaves the fine fibers adhering to its outer surface. As the cylinder rotates, a superimposed roller or cylinder 17 picks up the fiber from the outer surface of the cylinder 16, and carries it around to its opposite side, where the pasty fiber is scraped off by a knife 17 and drops The white water or liquid obtained by the filtering process last described, is drawn off from the interior of the cylinder 16 by means of a pipe 16, which returns said water to the mixing-box 9. After the screens 12 and the Decker machine have been operated for a short time, the returning water will be suflicient for thinning the pulp received by the mixingbox 9, and then the fresh water supply may be shut-ofl by closing the valve 10' in the pipe 10. The disposition of the Decker or slushing machine 14 where it receives the stock direct from the pulp screens, serves to s am n thick pasty condition, the same aswhen it posed within said box.

was delivered to the Jordan engine, except that it has been refined by passing 'throu h the screens 12; In order to prepare it or subsequent handling, as well as to partially 7 reduce it to the proper consistency for making'paper, a certainamount of the-unfiltered stock consisting of 'the finepulp-and more or less slugs,.which fills the trough 15, is allowed to flow over a dam 18 into chamber 14', where it mingles with the thick filtered stock. The Decker machine is adjustable for reducing the stock to a thinner consistency, as last described, by means of a gate 19, which is disposed directly above the dam 18, the said gate being capable of manual operation by means of a lever 19'. In practice,.when the paper machines are running,

an attendant is usually stationed at or near the Decker machine and the screens, and he operates the said gate, for varying-the pro portions of unfiltered stock to the filtered stock, onsignals from the machine attendiants. The return pipe 16 should be large enough to readily carry away the white water from the cylinder 16, so as to facilitate the rapid filtering of the stock at that point.

The filtered, as well as the unfiltered stock which drops into the compartment 14 of the slushing machine 14, gravitates through a pipe 18 into a stuff-chest 20, and from the stud-chest or tank 20 the stock is then drawn ofi' by a stuff-pump 21, through a pipe 22, which has a shut-off valve 22 for cont-rolling the flow of the stock to the pump. The pump 21 is preferably one of the plunger type, and it is employed for forcing the stock upwardly through a pipe 21' into the central compartment of a machine regulating-box 23, which lies between partitions or' dams 24 and 24: dis- The stock received from the stuff-chest- 20, in passing through the stuff-pump 21, is so violently agitated or churned that most of the slugs which pass over the dam 19 will be entirely broken up and reduced to the desired consistency before they reach the regulatingbox 23.

Asthe stock rises in the box 23, the quantity required for serving the paper machine,

is allowed to flow over the dam 24, while the surplus stock, if any there be,- flows over a the dam 24, and is returned through a pipe 25 to the stuff-chest20. The volume of the pulp flowing over the dam 24 is regulated by a gate 26 disposed above and in line ,with the dam 24, and which is constructed and operated the same as the gates in the Decker machine and in the box2. An operating lev ar' 26" is employed: for manipulating the gate: 26: The papersstoeki flowing over the dam 24 of: the box 23,.drops into'a chamber 27 and'thence'gravitates througha pipe 27 into a machine mixing box 28. The mixing-hox28 is supplied with fresh water by a pipe 28", which alsoconnects withthe main X, andthe supply of fresh water is controlled byavalve'28" connectedtoasaid pipe. The mixing-box 28 is the last point in my improved system where fresh water is supplied? for thinning the pul so as to give it the proper-consistency, efore the stock is delivered to the Fourdrinier wire for making" paper. In case more stock is delivered'to'the box. 28 than is required .for the grade and weight of paper which is being made, the surplus stock over-flows through a pipe 29; which carries it back to the stuff-chest 20,. tobe repumped to the regulating-box 23;

The stuff-chest 20is intended mainly for a storage tank, for the paper-stock after it has been screened and filtered and the said chest is preferably made large enough to hold several tons ofthe stock. By the employment of the large stuff-chest located, as shown, between the pulp screens and the paper machine, sufficient stock may be stored therein to supply the paper machine for several hours at a time, Without receiving any stock from the slushing machine or from the screens. The value of this provision will be more apparent when it is understood that, the pulp screens, as well as, the Deckermachine frequently break down, or must be shutdown for repairs or cleaning. Under the old systems referred to, where the pulp screens are located adjacent the paper machines, without any intervening storage tanks, the stoppage of the screens immediately cuts off the supply of paper-stock, and therefore necessitates the shutting-down of the paper machines until the screens are put in order and started up, again. On the other hand, under my improved system and arrangement of the refining' and distributing parts, a large amount of stock is stored and constantly held in the stuff-chest 20, and also in the regulating and mixing boxes 23 and 28, for supplying and keeping the paper machines running continuously whether the screens and slushing machines are running or idle.

From the box 28, the stock gravitates through a pipe 30 to a second fan-pump 31, which is preferably the same in construction and operation as the pump 11. The stock is then finally lifted by the pump 31 through apipe 31 into a distributing-box 32, which is arranged with a depressed bottom for connecting with the pipe 31'. The stock having passed through the boxes 23 and 28, where the last regulating and mixing of the paper-stock takes place, a small number of slugs or lumps of the pulp may still remain, and these will be broken up and-reduced to the same consistency as the and connects with a flow-box 33, at or near its bottom. The wall of the flow-box 33 which faces the box 32, has a long rectangular or slotted, opening 33, which communicates with the interlor of, and forms the inlet for the stock which isforced into the box 32. To regulate and control the flow of the stock from the box 32 to thebox 33, I provide a novel distributing gate or valve comprising slotted plates 34 and 35, the

plate 34 preferably havin a greater area than the window or passagi 33' of the flowbox, and the said plate is secured to the outer surface of the flow-box by means of,

screws or bolts 34. Plate 34 at itstop and bottom edges is folded upon itself to form oppositely facing guides 36, which are arranged to slidably receive the plate 35, which is adapted to be moved longitudinally over, and to closely contact wlth the outer face of plate 34, for opening and closing the slots in plate 34, thereby permitting or preventing the passage of the stock from the distributing-box 32 into the flowbox 33. A handle 37 is attached to one end of the gate-plate 35, the stem of which passes through one end of the box 32, where-v by the gate 35 may be reciprooated for controllin the supply of stock to the paper machi e. By the employment of the distributing-gate. comprising the slotted plates 34 and 35, the volume of the pulp to be de-- livered to the machine may be gaged or regulated to any desired degree, and the same amount of stock may be fed to the machine for an indefinite period, or it may be increased or decreased, or be entirely'shutoff, in a moments time, by simply moving the handle 37 toward or away from the'box 32. The dotted lines 32' (see Fig. 1) indicate a horizontal pipe which may be used to feed the distributing-box 32, instead of the vertical pipe 31, in which event the depressed bottom of said box should be dispensed with and a horizontal bottom 32" employed instead.

The flow box with a number of vertically disposed baflie walls or partitions 38 and 39, for preventing the direct and violent flow of the stock strikes against the first baflle wall 38, which extends from the bottom to a point near the top of the box, The stock then rises and 33 is provided interiorly' 'flows overthe wall 38, thence downwardly andunderneaththe first inverted wall 39, thence upwardly over the'second wall 38,

and then downwardly and underneath the second Wall 39. The stock then rises'in the farthermostcompartment of the box 33 and passes out through'slot's40 of an inclining' top 40, thence over an upwardly projecting apron 41; and falls into a broad trou h 42, which carries the stock onto the Four rinier wire 43, which comprises a part of the wetend of the paper machine 44. As the stock is carried along on said wire, between a slicer 45 and a suction-box 46, a considerable portion of the water incorporated with the fibers filters through the wire and is caught in a saving tray ortrough 47 disposed beneath the wire 43, which is preferably ar-' ranged to-drain from itsopposite ends toward its middle, at which point the water enters a pipe or conduit 48, and is carried back to the mixing-box 28. During its passage over the suction-box 46, the greater part of the water remaining'in the pulp or stock is sucked through the wire 43 by means of vacuum pumps (not shown) in the usual manner, and this water isalso returned to the mixing-box 28 by means of a pipe or conduit 49. After the paper machines have been in operation for a short time, enough water will be returned by the pipes 48 and 49 for regulating the stockin the mixingbox 28, and the fresh water supply may then be shut-off by closing the valve 28 in the pipe 28'.

The treatment of thestock or pulp by the paper machine, for making paper, is practically the same under my improved system of refining and distributing, as heretofore practised, hence no special description of the method or operation of making the paper, nor of the machinery beyond the Fourdrinier part, need be given herein.

The stuff-chest 20 is preferably provided.

ates the gate 7 in' the regulating-box 2, forautomatically shutting off the supplyof the stock when the chest 20 is full.

The provision of the distributing-box 32 and the slotted gate 3435, are novel features notheretofore known and used in connect-ion with paper-stock distributing systems. By the employment of these new parts, disposed and arranged as herein shown and described,

the paper machines, and by the arrangement of the handle.- 37, the gate 34r-35 may be opened, closed, or set in any desired position for measuring or gaging the supply of the stock to any degree within a considerable range. In practice, the slots in the lates EM and 35 are made large enough to a mit the greatest amount of stock to serve a machine.

The locating of the pulp screens at a remote poiut'from the paper machines, and the intcrposing of the slushing machine, 14, the pump 21, the mixing-box 28 and the fanpump 31, between the screens and the paper machines, aii'ord a means for effectually destroying or eliminating all of the slugs or lumps of pulp given oil by the screens, thus preventing these troublesome particles from mingling with the paper stock from which the paper is made. By thus preventing the slugs from reaching the paper machines, the

trouble and annoyance from the frequent breaking of the web of paper is almost entirely obviated. Furthermore, the disposition and arrangement of the several parts enumerated, together with the feature of the storage chest 20, enable the paper makers to etfectively and evenly regulate and mix the paper stock, so that any desired grade or weight of paper may be produced, and the stock therefor maintained at the required consistency, without any appreciable variation, for an indefinite length of time. Having thus described my invention,what I claim new and desire to. secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a paper machine and a pulp screen, of a filtering machine adapted to receive the pulp direct from said screen, a flow-box connected with the paper machine, a distributing-box carried b the flow-box adapted toreceive the pulp a ter it passes from the filtering machine and to deliver the same to the flow-box, and a gate carried by the fiow box for controlling the passage of the pulp from the distributingbox into said flow-box.

2,. The combination with a paper machine and a pulp screen, of a flow-box connected. to the paper machine, a distributing-box connected to the flow-box, a Decker machine interposed between the pulp screen and the distributing-box for preventing slugs or lumps of pulp given 0 by the said screen from being delivered to the distributingbox, and a gate operatively connecting the flow box, with the distributing box, said gate disposed in the distributin -box and adapted for controlling the supp y of pulp delivered to the paper machine.

3. The combination with a paper machine 4 and a pulp screen, said screen adapted for straining the pul for making paper-stock of a slushing machine adapted to receive th;

stock for red-um it toa pasty condition said slashing" mgfhine adapted topseparatd the slugs formed in. the pulp screen from the serviceable paper-stock, a mix -box to receive the stock after it lowed tie slushing machine, and a distributing-box having a paper-stock to the paper machine.

i:- The combination with a paper lnacln'neandI a pulp screen, said screen adapted for straining pulp for paper-stock, of a filtering machine adapted to. separate'the slugs or lumps of pulp from the fine fibers com;- prising the paper-stock. a distributing-box to receive the paper-stock after it has been filtered adapted to deliver the said stock to. a flow-box connected directly to. the paper machine, and asliding slotted gate disposed in the distributing-box adapted to permit, or to. prevent the delivery of the paper-stock from the distributing-box to: said flow-box. 5. The combination with a screen for straining pulp. and a machine for making paper, of a slusl-uaig machine adapted to, re-

and for separating a part of the slugs from the fine fibers contained in the pulp, a flow box operatively connected to the paper machine, a distributing box carried b5 the flow machine and sai distributing-box tor regulating said ulp, means tom delivering the pulp to the istributinbox under pressure, sald means adapted; to teak uptheremaim 1ng slugs carried by the pulp, and a reci rocatmg gatefor controlling the passage 0 the pulp from the distributing box into, said flow box.

G. The combination ot a pulp screen, a filterin machine adapted to. receive the direct firoui said screen, a; 'stufiZ-chest adapted t0 IC'lV8 the pulp from. he filtering machine, a regulating box, a pump.- fior lifting the pulp. trom. the stuif-chest to, said rewrlatm-g box, menus for returmng the surp us pulp. from: the regulating box othe Stu-1% chest, a mixing-box to receive a predetermlned quantity of the pulp. from the re ulating box, means for returning the surp us pulp from the mixing-box to the stuff-chest, a aper machine, means for delivering the pn p discharged from the mixing-box to the paper machine, and a slotted gate interposed between the pa 1' machine and the mixingsaid machine.

7. The combination of a paper machine, a pulp screen ada ted to screen pulp for paper stock, a slus ingma'chine to receive the pulp from said screen, a storage chest to receive the pulp from the slushmg machine, a regulating box, a pump to force the pulp from the storage chest to the regulatstock from the pulp screen and to filter said.

ceive the pulp. from said screen for filteringbox, means inter osed between saislashingslotted gate for controlling the flow of the box for control ing the flow of the pulp to ing box, said pump adapted to break up the to receive a predetermined quantity of the .pulp from the regulating box, a flow box connecting with the paper machine, a distributing box connected to the flow box adapted to receive the pulp from said mixing box under pressure and to deliver the same to said flow box, a gate, com rising a fixed slotted plate carried by the ow box, and a movable slotted plate slidable on the fixed plate, adapted for controlling the flow of the pulp from the distributing box to said flow box, and means for manually operating said gate.

8. A pulp'regnlating box, a Jordan engine to grind the pulp as it gravltates from said regulating box for making paper stock, a mixing box for thinning the stock received from the Jordan engine, a pulp screen, a pump for lifting the stock flowing from said mixing box-- to said screen, a Decker machine adapted to receive the stock from said screen, said Decker machine employed to filter a portion of the said stock, means for returning-the water obtained from the filtering of the stock to the said mixing box, means for mixing a portion of the unfiltered stock with the filtered stock, a stuffchest to receive the stock from the Decker machine, a second regulating box, a mixing box connecting with said regulating box adapted to receive a predetermined quantity of stock from said box, a paper machine, a flow box connecting with said machine, a distributin box carried by said flow box, a pump for Forcing the stock from the second mixing box to the distributing box, and a slotted valve interposed between said last named boxes, adapted to permit or to prevent the passage of the stock from said pump to the paper machine.

.9. In combination, a paper machine, a pulp screen for straining paper stock for use by said machine, means interposed between the paper machine and the pulp screen'for reducing the screened stock to a pasty condition, means interposed between the paper machine and said reducing means for regulating and mixing the paper stock, and means cooperating with the aforesaid means for distributin and deliverin the stock to the paper mac inc, and also ibr destroying the slugs which emanate from the pulp screens.

10. The combination with a screen for straining pulp for paper stock and a slushing machlnefor filtering said stock, of a stuff-chest for. storing the stock after it has been filtered, a paper machine, a distributing box disposed a jacent the paper machine, 'a pump for delivering the stock from the stuff-chest to the distributing box, and a slotted gate interposed between said distributing box, and the trolling the feed 0 machine.

11. The combination with a paper-machine and a flow-box for su plying paper stock to said machine, of a istributing-box connected-to the flow-box, and a slotted rethe stock to the said ciprocating gate interposed between the; flow-box and said distributing-box adapted assage of the to permit or prevent the paper machine for conpaper-stock from one of said boxes to the other.

12. The combination of a pulp screen, a filtering machine adapted to receive the stock from said screen, a stufi-chest adapted to receive the stock from the filtering machine, a regulating box, means for delivering the stock from the stuff-chest to the regulating box, means for returning the surplus stock from said box to the stud-chest, a mixing box adapted'to receive a predetermined quantit of the stock from the regulating box, an means for returning the surplus stock from the mixing box to the stuffchest.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses. LOWELL N. MoINTYRE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES R. STANFORD, JAMES A. HUGHES.

Baa" AVAILABLE cow 

